I Challenge You
…to a duel. Okay, not really. But it seemed the appropriate (hackneyed?) end to the sentence. You writers out there may have heard the advice, “Show, don’t tell.” Here is a really helpful writing...
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“All Possible Futures” – a retro fan-fiction piece
Juleya Kionee tugged up the high collar of her Imperial uniform with her right hand, an obnoxious enough habit to make her conjecture as to why she did it. She had long since concluded that if it...
View ArticleThe Other Side of My Writing…
is poetry. I wrote this for my Okie best friend’s new son, Fitzhugh. It incorporates a list of favorite memories concerning Fitz that she gave me. It’s a simple and straightforward piece – just a...
View ArticleBrief Thoughts on Secular Fiction by a Christian Author
With hopes to elaborate later, I thought I’d share what I consider the three aspects of secular fiction that a Christian author seeking to glorify Christ should have as a feature of his/her work:...
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“Bloodlines of Epheria” Book Now Available on Amazon!
At long last! The piece of fantasy fiction I posted in serialized form on my blog is now collated, edited, and Kindle-i-fied! If you haven’t kept up with Bloodlines of Epheria, Book 1 of The Bloodlines...
View ArticleThe Shaking of Epheria, pt. 1
This is the first installment of the second book of the “Bloodlines” trilogy, by yours truly. I will post the entire draft of the book here in serialized form before I collate and publish it for Amazon...
View ArticleShaking, pt. 2
Dear reader, if you haven’t already, it would behoove you to read the first installment of the second book of the “Bloodlines” Triology before you proceed here. Enjoy! As soon as that new scene came...
View ArticleShaking, pt. 3
Haven’t read part 2 of “The Shaking of Epheria” yet? Catch up here. He smiled, white teeth flashing, and inclined his head to her. “Sifani a-vinna Leyone.” Sifani’s opened her mouth in a stupid,...
View ArticleShaking, pt. 4
It was Ileniel’s birthday, and despite the persnickity scholar’s wishes, both Namiss and Antian had insisted on trying to prepare a grand meal for him. Namiss because she was Namiss, and she did such...
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Secondary Color – A work-in-progress
Okay! I finally got so tired of not posting anything, I decided I’m going to post EVERYTHING. Well, maybe not everything, but I’ll at least give you part of a short story I’ve written. Maybe you can...
View ArticleQuite suddenly, launched.
Dear reader, You have arrived here in time for a most momentous event – the launching of my “official” website, which has been more than a year in the making. Not because of any slacking on the part...
View ArticleBlog Serial –“Bloodlines of Epheria”
Hey, kids, Well, my plans for my full-length fantasy novel have taken some twists and turns, which has been more than a bit stressful. Nothing like a good ol’ dose of feeling-like-a-total-noob right...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 1
She was standing on his shoulders. Literally. Sifani might have marveled at the strength and breadth of them, if Lorin wasn’t such a great buffoon. A beautiful buffoon, but a buffoon nonetheless. If...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 2
It’s not too late to read part 1 of “Bloodlines of Epheria!” Catch up here, then read on! They turned away from one another to face that world they loved. It was particularly vivid this time for...
View Article“Bloodlines” continued
Part two, three, and four of “Bloodlines of Epheria” is up! Hope you enjoy the next parts of Sifani Leyone’s story, and keep following!
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 3
Catch up with Sifani’s story in part one and part two of “Bloodlines of Epheria!” Taking the paper from Sifani slowly this time, Ileniel opened it with somewhat of a flourish. It couldn’t have been...
View ArticleMy First Novel: The Timeline
I thought some of you might be interested in what it looked like for me to write my first novel. I began my 130,000-word fantasy novel for school…kind of. “Writing the Novel,” the much-anticipated...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 4
Missed part three? Read it here. Sifani picked up the sphere of Lightleaf she had set by the tub and pocketed it. “Thank you, Namiss,” she relented. The girl’s night-dark eyes lit up appreciatively....
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 5
Did you happen to miss “Bloodlines” part 1, 2, 3 or 4? Catch up with Sifani’s story and join us back here! Antian was indeed bent over his notebook when Sifani, Lorin, Namiss and Jatan climbed two...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 6
Don’t miss out on the complete story! Catch up with the rest of “Bloodlines of Epheria” via the links on the part five page. Antian and Jatan had their cloaked and hooded heads pressed together,...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 7
She lay on her back, knowing that she was pinned down, but gasping for breath nonetheless. With wide eyes, Sifani stared up at her attacker. What she saw was something she had no name for. Claws. The...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 8
“What do you mean, you didn’t see them at first?” Sifani could tell that her nerves were frayed. The question she directed at Jatan came out as if he were a suspect instead of a friend. Jatan took it...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 9
Even as she was pushed along, Sifani stared flatly at Lorin over her shoulder. “This had better not be a joke, Lorin. After the scare we just had, the last thing I need is you creeping about behind me...
View ArticleEllenberg Rejection
It’s a sad day for the green (and by that I mean “new,” not “tree-hugging”) novelist Jaimie Krycho. Party in question: Ethan Ellenberg of The Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency. Query sent: September 28,...
View ArticleBlasdell Rejection, and Why I’ve Been MIA
Perhaps you’ve heard, but round two of The Great Querying Adventure has ended rather disappointingly. Behold the process, in a nutshell: Party in question: Caitlin Blasdell of Liza Dawson Associates...
View Article“Bloodlines,” Part 10
Sifani recoiled as if struck. She stared at Lorin for a moment, and then her tongue sputtered words while her mind struggled to form the coherent thoughts to go with them. “Deities, creation…what’s...
View Article“Bloodlines,” part 11
The days that followed comprised a small lifetime for Sifani, made all the worse for the fact that she had nothing to do. Jatan had forbidden her from the epheria, and for once, Sifani wasn’t inclined...
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 11, Version 2 – What Revision Looks Like
It came to my attention – via a reader – that the last installment of “Bloodlines of Epheria” was a touch confusing. It was unclear whether or not Sifani was going to talk to Ileniel right then and...
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 12
Ileniel leaned forward to put his forearms on his knees, a posture he often took before launching off into a personal sermon, or a particularly long and complex tale. He waited several heartbeats...
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 13
A mistake. She wielded the first defense that came to mind, ignoring the part of her that told her she sounded childish, or foolish, or both. “But they were married!” Sifani told Ileniel vehemently....
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 14
What followed might have been just a few moments of staring, but they stretched on to infinity in Sifani’s mind. The sheer number of words she had on the tip of her tongue alongside the bone-deep...
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 15
It took the length of Lorin’s story for Jatan, Antian and Namiss to recover from their shock. Ileniel still insisted on muttering to himself from time to time, but Lorin pointedly ignored him. “I...
View ArticleJackson Rejection, and a Bit on Being a Christian-wife-mom-writer.
Party in question: Jennifer Jackson of Donald Maass Literary Agency Query sent: May 12, 2013 Answer received: May 15, 2013 Read as follows: Dear Jaimie Krycho: Thanks for your query. As to your...
View ArticleHayden Rejection – One Small Step
Party in question: Amy Hayden of Linn Prentis Literary Query sent: February 5, 2013 Answer received: March 28, 2013 Read as follows: Jaimie, Trodayne here hijacking Amy’s email. She wanted me to read...
View ArticleDos Mas – Schneider & Fox Rejections
Nothing terribly interesting in this post; just another pair of form rejections. The only thing worth noting is that Jabberwocky Literary Agency is the agency that represents Brandon Sanderson, though...
View ArticleThe end is near.
Hey, all. I just want to assure you that the rest of Bloodlines of Epheria is still coming! I’m writing the last large chunk as a whole, so that I can have my favorite beta reader (my husband Chris)...
View ArticleTo avoid beating a dead horse…because that’s just gross…
Well, I got another two agent rejections, but they were form and boring, so from here on out I’m only going to post the interesting/potentially beneficial ones. I will say, for the sake of your...
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 16
Chris has already done a read-through of this installment for me. His comment was that Sifani knows too much from her one conversation with Nume, and needs to figure it out another way. I’ll probably...
View ArticleReflections on “Tradition and the Individual Talent”
The essay, “Tradition and the Individual Talent,” was commended to me by a poet friend of mine and concerns poetry (and since it was written by TS Eliot, I guess that makes sense). However, I think...
View Article“Bloodlines,” pt. 17
The sun came up over the horizon pinkly, brushing Sifani’s face with deceptive warmth. The streets were mostly empty – early-morning workers crept timidly from their doors, eyes blinking open to a...
View ArticleA Continued Conversation with Linn Prentis
You may recall the “best rejection letter ever” I received from Linn Prentis Literary Agency awhile back. Well, I responded with a question to which I didn’t necessarily expect an answer. Thank you...
View Article“Bloodlines,” Conclusion
Well, friends, I’ve decided I’m just going to post the entire last chunk of “Bloodlines,” since I’ve taken my sweet time finishing it despite lofty promises of swift postings. Make note of a few...
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A sneak peek…
…at the amazing cover art for the compiled Kindle version of “Bloodlines of Epheria!” This is a digital commission by artist Tanya Wagemann. Please support her by checking out her page on deviantART!
View ArticleThe Philosophical, Prurient, and Profane
As I begin to write my second fantasy novel, I find myself thinking about the definition of art in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, and one aspect in particular which I agree with. The philosopher...
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